Australian umpire Darrell Hair will miss the ICC Champions Trophy amid security concerns after Pakistan captain Inzamam-Ul-Haq was exonerated in cricket's ball-tampering row.

The International Cricket Council announced Hair would sit out the upcoming one-day tournament in India "on the basis of safety and security concerns for Darrell and those who will be around him at the Champions Trophy".

Hair said he accepted the decision but was prepared to umpire Pakistan matches and those of any other nations in the future.

"My contract with ICC says that I will be available to umpire as and where required when and where they wish me to umpire," Hair said.

"If they have ... the reasons for that in their mind not to send me there, I accept that as well.

"I don't have a problem with umpiring any cricket match, anywhere around the world."

The ICC's announcement came shortly after Inzamam was cleared of ball tampering in last month's fourth Test against England at The Oval.

He was, however, banned for four one-day internationals for bringing the game into disrepute when he refused to return to the field after Hair and West Indian umpire Billy Doctrove had penalised his team five runs for ball tampering.

ICC referee Ranjan Madugalle, who presided over Inzamam's two-day disciplinary hearing in London, said he was not satisfied there was "sufficiently cogent evidence that the fielding team had taken action to change the condition of the ball".

"In my judgment, the marks are as consistent with normal wear and tear of a match ball after 56 overs as they are with deliberate human intervention," Madugalle said.

That finding raised serious questions over the decision by Hair and Doctrove to punish Pakistan for ball tampering.

But Hair stood by his actions and said he wanted to continue as an international umpire.

"My umpiring performance is on public record and if other people who have always made those decisions on my performance think I am still fit to umpire I will continue," he said.

Madugalle said he took into account Inzamam's expression of regret and apology as well as "all the surrounding circumstances" when sentencing him to the minimum penalty for bringing the game into disrepute.

The Pakistan team's protest led to the first forfeit in 129 years of Test cricket.

Inzamam said his team had been vindicated and he was unlikely to appeal against his ban.

"Since this is the minimum possible suspension I don't think we would appeal," he told private GEO television.

"Everyone in Pakistan welcomed my decision to protest and I think they would have prayed for my team and for myself. That is why we have been acquitted of ball tampering charges."

Pakistan has asked that Hair no longer officiate in its matches.

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